Not all replacement teeth are the same. Some are designed for a single lost tooth (like a dental bridge), while others are equipped to rebuild your smile after severe or total tooth loss (like partial and full dentures). What they all share, however, is the need for a support system that mimics your lost teeth roots as closely as the restoration mimics their crowns. That’s where dental implants come in. (more…)

Even if the main goal of your dental treatment is to restore a tooth, aesthetics (visual appeal) still plays a big role in maintaining your smile. If you’ve ever had a cavity treated with a metal filling, and you see it every time you smile or brush your teeth in the mirror, you might already understand. Fortunately, today’s dental fillings don’t have to be crafted from metal, and are often made from innovative composite resin, instead. Dubbed tooth-colored fillings, restorations made from resin offer a few advantages over their metal predecessors, which is why we typically recommend them to patients with mild to moderate cavities. (more…)

If you aren’t really comfortable visiting the dentist’s office, you’ll be less likely to visit as often as you should, which can raise your risks of developing a serious dental issue. At our Fuquay Varina family dentist’s office, our entire approach to dental care is centered on you, the patient, and making you as comfortable as you are confident in the dental care we provide. (more…)

Your teeth are pretty formidable. Usually, they can adequately withstand the forces of biting and chewing your food several times every day, as well as the scrubbing of your toothbrush and floss. However, strong though they are, your teeth aren’t indestructible, and when forced against each other with nothing between them, your teeth can wear themselves down significantly. Grinding teeth is a serious concern for many patients, and if you exhibit the symptoms, then we recommend seeking dental treatment as soon as possible. (more…)

The things you need to keep your teeth clean and healthy aren’t a mystery; toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, and if you prefer (or need it), mouthwash. How effective these things are, however, depends on a few not-so-obvious factors, such as what they’re made out of and how you use them. To help you maximize the tools you use for maintaining healthy teeth, we offer a brief guide on how to optimize their potential for reducing your risks of dental health issues. (more…)

Even if you never experience tooth decay or gum disease, there’s a good chance that you have, or will, experience tooth sensitivity at some point in your life. Sensitive, aching teeth are one of the most common dental health symptoms, and they can be caused by any number of different issues. To successfully treat your discomfort and find lasting relief, we’ll first have to find the cause of your toothache, which can range from tooth damage, to a dental disease, to something else entirely. (more…)

Your diet can affect more than your physical frame and fitness. For better or worse, what you eat and how often you eat it also has a significant influence on the state of your dental health. While some substances, like sugars and organic acids, are known for their ability to damage teeth and cause cavities, other foods essential to feeding your teeth the nutrients they need to stay strong and healthy. (more…)

The thought of cavities might be at the back of your mind every time you brush and floss your teeth (particularly the hope of not having any). Unless you do have one, though, you might not think much about them otherwise, like what cavities are, and why you should take every necessary step to avoid them. The problem lies in the bacteria that dwell in your mouth, which feed on the same substances you do and convert many of them into harmful acids. After a while, these acids erode your teeth’s outer layer of enamel, leaving teeth vulnerable to infectious, cavity-causing bacteria. Fortunately, you don’t have to starve yourself in addition to brushing and flossing in order to prevent cavities. (more…)

Given how dominant your smile is, you might realize that certain oral health issues can affect your image and appearance, which in turn can affect your confidence and quality of life. What fewer people realize, however, is that the state of your dental health can affect much more than how confidently you smile. For instance, inflammatory gum disease is caused by bacteria that manipulate your immune system, causing rampant inflammation in your gum tissues and possibly throughout other areas of your body. (more…)

It’s embarrassing enough that many people don’t want to talk about it, but bad breath isn’t as easily avoidable as conversation. The one person you should be talking about your bad breath with is your dentist, especially if you’ve tried to eliminate it and it won’t go away. When it’s more than just morning breath, the condition could indicate a more serious dental health issue that will have to be addressed before you can enjoy fresher breath. (more…)